The Greater Columbus Arts Council (GCAC) board of trustees has approved $1,176,236 in Project Support grants to 74 nonprofit arts and cultural organizations, including Asian Festival Corp., Central Ohio Bengali Cultural Association, Columbus African Festival, Columbus Jewish Community Center, Federation Of Asian Indian Association of Central Ohio, Latino Arts for Humanity, Ohio Ghana Festival, Ohio Kung Fu Tai Chi Association, Somali American Museum, Somali Cultural Festival and Spotlight Columbus, Inc.
The Project Support grant program provides funding to Franklin County nonprofits for a broad range of arts and cultural projects, including performances, exhibitions, festivals, locally produced film presentations and community events where the arts are at the core of the project. Projects must be open to the public, include significant participation of professional artists and have an implementation plan outlined at time of submission.
New for 2025, Project Support utilized a national jury panel made up of 28 nonprofit administrators, community arts leaders and discipline-specific experts from outside of Columbus. Reviewers were trained prior to scoring and were also provided with guiding rubrics and manuals along the way.
2025 Project Support received several first-time applicants including organizations such as 614US, Ohio Kung Fu Tai Chi Association and New Albany Symphony Orchestra. Returning applicants include the Old Towne East Jazz Festival, Art Possible Ohio, Hixon Dance and others.
“Serving as a juror for the Greater Columbus Arts Council was a truly rewarding experience,” said juror Melissa Astin, director of grants and community engagement for ArtsBuild in Chattanooga, TN.
“It was an honor to contribute to the grant-making process and witness firsthand the vibrant and growing arts community in the Columbus region. GCAC exemplifies the best practices in arts funding and cultural support, and I’m proud to have been part of their important work.”
Juror Bently Spang, a Northern Cheyenne multidisciplinary artist, educator, writer and curator said, “It was gratifying to see the courage, diversity, innovation and dedication so forthright in these projects, despite the challenges we all face today. The arts are alive and thriving in Columbus!”
Floyd Hall, who served as juror and is a cultural producer and media strategist from Atlanta, added, “It was inspiring to see the range of projects that reflect innovation and traditions within the greater Columbus area, and the intentionality of artists and institutions to emphasize experiences that bring that community together.”
| Organization Name | Project Title | Award Amount |
| 614US | Rip the Runway | $6,390 |
| A Tribe for Jazz | Jazz World: A Celebration of Global Influence | $17,850 |
| Aethereal Jest Arts Council | 2025/2026 Season | $11,540 |
| Art Possible Ohio | ReelAbilities Film Festival Columbus 2025-2026 Season | $16,220 |
| Artway, Inc. | Columbus Sister Cities Plus 2025-2026 Festival | $8,010 |
| Asian Festival Corp. | Columbus Asian Festival 2026 | $16,500 |
| Cartoon Crossroads Columbus | Cartoon Crossroads Columbus 2025 Festival | $25,500 |
| Central Ohio Bengali Cultural Association | Columbus Milieu 2025 | $14,625 |
| Central Ohio Hot Jazz Society | Central Ohio Hot Jazz Society Music Series | $11,090 |
| Chamber Music Columbus | Chamber Music Columbus Season 78 | $24,000 |
| Clintonville Community Choir | Clintonville Community Choir 2025 Season | $13,446 |
| Columbus African Festival | Columbus African Festival 2025 | $25,500 |
| Columbus Chamber Singers | Columbus Chamber Singers Concert Series | $4,580 |
| Columbus College of Art & Design | Columbus College of Art & Design Annual Public Programs | $26,460 |
| Columbus Cultural Orchestra | 4th Annual Black History Month Tour | $13,170 |
| Columbus Dance Alliance | Building Momentum | $13,220 |
| Columbus Fashion Initiative | Fashion Is Art | $19,950 |
| Columbus Folk Music Society | Concert and Festival Programming | $12,120 |
| Columbus GospelFest – Fun-Fest | Columbus GospelFest and All Disabilities Fest | $26,260 |
| Columbus Jewish Community Center | JCC Jewish Cultural Arts Programming | $25,500 |
| Columbus Laughs | Columbus Laughs Comedy Series | $11,620 |
| Columbus Printed Arts Center | Ann/Beck Center for the Arts Year of Programs | $13,940 |
| Columbus Rings | Columbus Rings Community Concert Series, 2025-2026 | $5,460 |
| Converging Arts Columbus | The Journey: Breaking Barriers | $17,480 |
| Education Foundation for Freedom | 2025 Columbus Women & Girls Fest | $21,540 |
| Elevate Northland | Northland Unity Festival | $8,060 |
| eMBer Women’s Theatre | 2025-2026 Season | $11,700 |
| Evolution Theatre Company | 2025 Main Stage Season | $23,550 |
| Evolve Productions | 2024/2025 Season “From Seed to Bloom” | $15,080 |
| Federation Of Asian Indian Association of Central Ohio | India Festival | $13,500 |
| Franklinton Arts District | 2025 Scrawl | $17,730 |
| Global Gallery | Friday Night Music Series | $8,680 |
| Harmony Project Productions | Concert for Humanity 2026 | $27,000 |
| Healing Broken Circles Inc | The BackWall (TBW) | $15,700 |
| Hixon Dance | Hixon Dance 19th Season | $18,070 |
| Imagine Productions of Columbus | Imagine Productions 2025-2026 Season | $20,410 |
| InPulse Dance Co. | InPulse Dance 2025 – 2026 Concert Series | $15,530 |
| Kaleidoscope Performing Arts Inc | Kaleidoscope Recital 2025 | $11,520 |
| KBK Foundation | Culture: Black Fine Art Expo | $1,920 |
| Latino Arts for Humanity | Day of the Dead Columbus Festival/Tierra y Vida | $22,050 |
| Livingston Ave Business Association | 29th Annual JuneteenthOhio Festival | $27,000 |
| Making a Difference, Inc. | Soul of Columbus Food and Arts Fest | $4,770 |
| National Audubon Society | Art at Audubon | $15,200 |
| New Albany Symphony Orchestra | New Albany Symphony 25-26 Season | $24,000 |
| New Vision Dance Company | New Albany Dance Festival | $14,160 |
| Now Foundation | Now Foundation Creative Elevation Project | $25,500 |
| Ohio Ghana Festival | Ohio Ghana Festival 2025 | $11,990 |
| Ohio Kung Fu Tai Chi Association | 9th Annual Ohio Moon Festival | $11,375 |
| Ohioana Library Association | Past and Present: Linking Stories Across 100 Years | $13,160 |
| OhioDance | 2026 OhioDance Festival | $21,780 |
| Olde Towne East Jazz Festival | Olde Towne East Jazz Festival Series | $15,140 |
| OTE Arts (Olde Towne East Arts) | The OTE Arts Lab | $14,400 |
| Oyo Dance Company | Oyo Dance Company Season 2025-2026 | $20,260 |
| Passport 2 Fashion | Divercity 614 presents Passport 2 Fashion 8th Annual Runway Show | $12,880 |
| Peggy R. McConnell Worthington Center for the Arts | Cultural Connections FY26 | $11,930 |
| Short North Alliance | 25/26 Gallery Hop and Hops on High, featuring Summer Spray | $27,000 |
| Short North Foundation | Goodale Park Music Series | $5,810 |
| Somali American Museum | Celebrating Somali Heritage: A Multidisciplinary Artistic Experience | $8,800 |
| Somali Cultural Festival | The Somali Cultural Festival 2025 | $16,930 |
| Southeast, Inc. | Fresh A.I.R. Gallery exhibitions | $12,400 |
| Spotlight Columbus, Inc. | 2026 South Asian Theater Festival | $13,660 |
| Stage Right Theatrics | Before They Were Gods 2025-26 | $11,600 |
| Summer Jam West | 2025 Summer Jam West Festival | $16,340 |
| Sunday at Central | 2025/26 Chamber Music Season | $10,890 |
| The Magpie Consort | 2025-2026 Season | $8,420 |
| Theatre Reset | TheatreReset Short Play Festivals | $11,360 |
| Thiossane Institute | Thiossane Institute 2025-26 Concert Series | $18,160 |
| University District Organization | 2025 Pearl Alley Jam | $14,260 |
| Urban Cultural Arts Foundation | William H. Thomas Gallery 25-26 Events | $13,600 |
| Vaud-Villities Productions | Vaud-Villities 2025-2026 Show Season | $24,000 |
| VIVO Music Festival | VIVO Music Festival Season 11 | $19,500 |
| We Amplify Voices | Lift All Voices: A Community Gathering for Creative Storytelling | $13,490 |
| Worthington Chamber Orchestra | 2025/26 Orchestra Season | $28,500 |
| Xclaim | RENEW | $25,500 |
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